Rice with mushrooms, cuttlefish and artichokes

This month's Challenge was hosted by Olga of Olga's Recipes and Las Cosas de Olga. The recipe was Rice with mushrooms, cuttlefish and artichokes by Jose Andres, one of the most important Spanish Chefs at the moment.
He trained under well-known Ferran Adria at his three Michelin star restaurant El Bulli. José Andrés lives now in Washington DC and he owns several restaurants in Washington DC area (El Jaleo, Zaytinya, Oyamel…).
The recipe was seen on his US TV show Made in Spain.

I would have to say this recipe was very unsuccessful for me. It was unsuccessful on so many levels. First of all.... check out the date. I am posting this 4 days late!

I made the dish last night, and surprisingly Chris ate most of it, but honestly, I think his may have turned out better. His artichokes were fully cooked, mine were VERY crunchy and for the most part, impossible to eat.

I was a bit frustrated with this recipe. Well, I was more than a bit frustrated. First off, it has you make a Sofregit (a tomato based fragrant sauce with olive oil, onions, and garlic, and sometimes other fragrant veggies) and an Allioli (basically a mayonnaise made with olive oil and garlic, at least this is true of the modern version.) The problem is, it has you make a HUGE amount of these two sauces. WAY TOO MUCH.

I am a SAHM on a budget. A tight budget, of TIME. I don't have time to make a bunch of stuff I am not going to use. SO I tried making the recipe smaller, but it didn't much work. Honestly, if I am only going to use 2 tablespoons of the Sofregit..... why did I have to start with 5 tomatoes?

I used more water than was recommended cuz my rice wasn't done, but the water was... and it SURE wasn't done in the amount of time directed. Maybe I used the wrong rice.... but I have never cooked a rice (non-instant) that cooked as fast as was stated.

Chris won't eat fish, so I used potato. There were no directions for using potato, so I guessed. They sopped-up all the oil and made everything kinda mealy. I also used shrimp since both of us like shrimp.

I used too much garlic in the allioli... it was spicy. Now I have a bunch of allioli sitting in my fridge which is "bad" now because it is a day later (since it "has" to be used the same day it was made) SO why did you have me make so much!? Now, I do have to say.. Maybe the flaw was in making the modern version... but I have 3 kids... and a husband in the middle of finals.... I don't have time for the traditional method.

I really am surprised Chris ate as much as he did. He even ate mushrooms! Overall, I thought the taste was good... I just wish the artichokes were done. And the allioli was a little less biting. (It seems everything had teeth! the rice, the artichokes, and the allioli)

I am hoping it is all a bit better today as leftovers. PLEASE let this be a better meal as a leftover.


As a side note, the Daring Baker challenge for this month was perfect for dessert.... but you will have to wait a bit longer to hear how it went!ETA after lunch the next day:

I found it to be much better as a left over. The allioli was starting to separate BUT was much tamer. The rice was a little softer, but still a bit toothy. I actually found some firmer potatoes. I did reheat in the microwave and it turned out fine. The artichokes were better, not perfect but oh so much better. Now the thing I did which was great was a threw a couple of frozen raw shrimp on top. They cooked up nicely. I was surprised that they didn't turn rubbery. (I figured it couldn't be any worse than last night) The shrimp were great. They had such a nice flavor. The shrimp I cooked with the rice the night before had no shrimp/sweet flavor left. They might as well have been tofu.

The recipe as I received it

Rice with mushrooms, cuttlefish and artichokes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Equipment:

• 1 Chopping Board
• 1 knife
• 1 medium saucepan
• 1 Paella pan (30 cm/11” is enough for 4 people. If not available, you may use a simple pan that size)
• 1 Saucepan

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 4 Artichokes (you can use jarred or freezed if fresh are not available)
• 12 Mushrooms (button or Portobello)
• 1 or 2 Bay leaves (optional but highly recommended)
• 1 glass of white wine
• 2 Cuttlefish (you can use freezed cuttlefish or squid if you don’t find it fresh)
• “Sofregit” (see recipe below)
• 300 gr (2 cups) Short grain rice (Spanish types Calasparra or Montsant are preferred, but you can choose any other short grain. This kind of rice absorbs flavor very well) – about 75 gr per person ( ½ cup per person) Please read this for more info on suitable rices.
• Water or Fish Stock (use 1 ½ cup of liquid per ½ cup of rice)
• Saffron threads (if you can’t find it or afford to buy it, you can substitute it for turmeric or yellow coloring powder)
• Allioli (olive oil and garlic sauce, similar to mayonnaise sauce) - optional

Directions:

1. Cut the cuttlefish in little strips.
2. Add 1 or 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and put the cuttlefish in the pan.
3. If you use fresh artichokes, clean them as shown in the video in tip #7. Cut artichokes in eights.
4. Clean the mushrooms and cut them in fourths.
5. Add a bay leaf to the cuttlefish and add also the artichokes and the mushrooms.
6. Sauté until we get a golden color in the artichokes.
7. Put a touch of white wine so all the solids in the bottom of the get mixed, getting a more flavorful dish.
8. Add a couple or three tablespoons of sofregit and mix to make sure everything gets impregnated with the sofregit.
9. Add all the liquid and bring it to boil.
10. Add all the rice. Let boil for about 5 minutes in heavy heat.
11. Add some saffron thread to enrich the dish with its flavor and color. Stir a little bit so the rice and the other ingredients get the entire flavor. If you’re using turmeric or yellow coloring, use only 1/4 teaspoon.
12. Turn to low heat and boil for another 8 minutes (or until rice is a little softer than “al dente”)
13. Put the pan away from heat and let the rice stand a couple of minutes.

Sofregit (a well cooked and fragrant sauce made of olive oil, tomatoes, garlic and onions, and may at times
different vegetables such as peppers or mushrooms)-

Cooking time: aprox. 1 hour
Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 5 big red ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
• 4 or 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup of button or Portobello mushrooms, chopped (optional)
• 1 Bay leaf
• Salt
• Touch of ground cumin
• Touch of dried oregano

Directions:

1. Put all the ingredients together in a frying pan and sauté slowly until all vegetables are soft.
2. Taste and salt if necessary (maybe it’s not!)

Allioli is the optional part of the recipe. You must choose one of the two recipes given, even though I highly recommend you to try traditional one. Allioli is served together with the rice and it gives a very nice taste
Allioli (Traditional recipe)
Cooking time: 20 min aprox.
Ingredients:

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• Pinch of salt
• Fresh lemon juice (some drops)
• Extra-virgin olive oil (Spanish preferred but not essential)

Directions:

1. Place the garlic in a mortar along with the salt.
2. Using a pestle, smash the garlic cloves to a smooth paste. (The salt stops the garlic from slipping at the bottom of the mortar as you pound it down.)
3. Add the lemon juice to the garlic.
4. Drop by drop; pour the olive oil into the mortar slowly as you continue to crush the paste with your pestle.
5. Keep turning your pestle in a slow, continuous circular motion in the mortar. The drip needs to be slow and steady. Make sure the paste soaks up the olive oil as you go.
6. Keep adding the oil, drop by drop, until you have the consistency of a very thick mayonnaise. If your allioli gets too dense, add water to thin it out. This takes time—around 20 minutes of slow motion around the mortar—to create a dense, rich sauce.

José's tips for traditional recipe: It's hard to think that, when you start crushing the garlic, it will ever turn into something as dense and smooth as allioli. But don't give up. It's worth the extra time and effort to see the oil and garlic come together before your eyes. Just make sure you're adding the olive oil slowly, drop by drop. Keep moving the pestle around the mortar in a circular motion and keep dreaming of the thick, creamy sauce at the end of it all.

Allioli a la moderna (Modern recipe)
Cooking time: 3-4 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 small egg
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (as above, Spanish oil is highly recommended)
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1 Tbs. Spanish Sherry vinegar or lemon juice (if Sherry vinegar is not available, use can use cider or white vinegar)
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Break the egg into a mixing bowl.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the garlic cloves, along with the vinegar or lemon juice.
3. Using a hand blender, start mixing at high speed until the garlic is fully pureed into a loose paste.
4. Little by little, add what's left of the olive oil as you continue blending.
5. If the mixture appears too thick as you begin pouring the oil, add 1 teaspoon of water to loosen the sauce.
6. Continue adding the oil and blending until you have a rich, creamy allioli.
7. The sauce will be a lovely yellow color.
8. Add salt to taste.

José's tips for modern recipe:
(1) If you do not have access to a hand blender, you can use a hand mixer (the kind with the two beaters) or a food processor. If you use a food processor, you must double the recipe or the amount will be too little for the blades to catch and emulsify.
(2) What happens if the oil and egg separate? Don't throw it out. You can do two things. One is to whisk it and use it as a side sauce for a fish or vegetable. But if you want to rescue the allioli, take 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water in another beaker and start adding to the mix little by little. Blend it again until you create the creamy sauce you wanted.
Olga’s Tips:
(1) In Spain, rice is not stired as often as it is when cooking Italian risotto. You must stir it once or twice maximum. This tip is valid for all Spanish rice dishes like paella, arròs negre, arròs a banda…
(2) When cooking the alternative style you can change the cuttlefish or squid for diced potato.
(3) If you can’t find cuttlefish or squid, or you’re not able to eat them because of allergies, you can try to substitute them for chicken or vegetables at your choice.
(4) Sofregit can be done in advance. You can keep it in the fridge or even freeze it.
(5) For more information on how to clean and remove the heart of artichokes, please watch this video
(6) To watch how Jose Andres cooks this dish click here.
(7) For more information on how to clean and remove the heart of artichokes, please watch this video
(8) To tone down the taste when you do it by hand in a mortar, then add an egg yolk. If you want to tone it down in the alternative way use milk or soy milk. Anyway, the best alternative way is the original oil and garlic alone.
(9) Allioli must be consumed during the preparation day and preserved in the fridge before using it.

Milan and Mallow Cookies

The July Daring Baker Challenge was hosted by Nicole of Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Cover Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from Pastry Chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

I was excited to make cookies. I like cookies. I have never had a Milano cookie, which the Milan cookies are replicating. But I figured they would be fun to make, since I know so many people that like them a whole lot. I knew the mallow cookies would be fun. I made marshmallow once before and thought it was fun, so it was a real treat to get to make them again.

I started with the Milan cookies. They were pretty easy to make. The hardest part was getting them consistent in size and shape. It took a bit of trial and error, but I still had to do some "matching-up" when making the sandwiches. The cookie batter is a bit runnier than I am used to piping with. Kiah had fun helping me. Kids always like extruding things. For those that want the info, tip #44 is 1/4 inch. I don't have that tip, so I used #47, which is technically a basket weave tip, but the cookie batter was so thin, it didn't hold she peaks and valleys. So it worked great.

I also had to cut down on the time in the oven. Since I have an older oven, it seems to be a bit inconsistent. I really need to get a thermometer for it. To help a bit with the imperfections, I dipped them in Chocolate.

The Mallow cookies were fun. I made 2 kinds. The first one I used the cookie dough in the recipe. But I added an almond and rolled in coconut after the marshmallow was applied. I then dipped in Chocolate. I also used coconut oil for thinning the chocolate for dipping.

For my second marshmallow cookie I made a Super Duper S'More. When I lived in San Diego I had the chance to go to many beach bonfires. We frequently had S'Mores. I remember one bonfire when we were not going to have S'Mores. One guy who was there was a little upset by this fact. I'll call him "Don." Don reminded us all of Forrest Gump. He is a nice guy, just a bit slow on the social cues and understanding. We told Don we were not going to have S'Mores. He felt it was against the natural order of having a bonfire to InotI have S'Mores. So we told him if he wanted them he had to go and buy the makings. When Don got back with the makings we all chuckled a little bit. He came back with cinnamon graham crackers, marshmallows, and Peanutbutter cups. I remember a LOT of people rolled their eyes and said it was impossible, but let me tell you, that was hands down the best S'More I have EVER had. SOOOOOO, this cookie is actually named Don's Super-Duper S'More cookie. The funny thing is, he would probably hate the actual cookie, but would secretly like the fact that I named it after him.

For Don's cookie I made a cinnamon "graham" cracker. (I didn't have any graham flour, so it is as close as I could make it without actual graham.) I found a recipe here.

2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (375 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour (a swap of 1/2 cup with whole wheat flour or 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour works well here, too)
1 cup (176 grams) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon (6 grams) baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt (4 grams)
7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces or 100 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
1/3 cup (114 grams) mild-flavored honey, such as clover
5 tablespoons (77 grams) milk, full-fat is best
2 tablespoons (27 grams) pure vanilla extract
Topping (optional)
3 tablespoons (43 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams) ground cinnamon
Make the dough: Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.
[Alternately, if you don't have a food processor or electric mixer, you can cut the ingredients together with a pastry blender. Just make sure they're very well incorporated.]
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times or mix on low until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and dust it lightly with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap it, then chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the topping, if using, by combining the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and setting aside.
Roll out the crackers: Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary. Trim the edges of the rectangle to 4 inches wide. Working with the shorter side of the rectangle parallel to the work surface, cut the strip every 4 1/2 inches to make 4 crackers.

Place the crackers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the topping. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer. Repeat with the second batch of dough. Finally, gather any scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and re-roll.
Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Decorate the crackers: Mark a vertical line down the middle of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough (again, this is for the traditional cracker shape). Using a toothpick or skewer (I like to use the blunt end of a wooden skewer for more dramatic dots), prick the dough to form two dotted rows about 1/2 inch for each side of the dividing line.
Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking.

The graham with Marshmallow

I then made a sweetened peanut butter to add after the marshmallow. The peanut butter mix was a bit tricky. I think it depends a great deal on how much sugar and oil is already in the peanut butter you use. I just kept adding and mixing. I think I used equal parts of peanut butter and powdered sugar with a little bit of butter to add moisture. It was VERY thick and much harder to extrude than I anticipated. I sprinkled with some more cinnamon. I them dipped in chocolate. I used Vegetable shortening instead of oil for the dipping.

I had some difficulty with the chocolate I used for dipping. It set-up fine, but the melting point was low on the chocolate, so it melted with the heat of your fingers and was very messy. So I made some additional "decoration," which was more of a hope of keeping the handeling of the cookie a cleaner affair. The Milan cookies were ok because only one half was dipped, so you held the other end. The almond and coconut (sorta an Almond joy like cookie) was dipped in more chocolate and the top rolled on more coconut. And the S'More cookie was dipped in a sugar, cocoa powder, and cinnamon mix. I think it actually made the cookies much more attractive. I LOVE it when form and function can come together in such harmony.

The Recipes as I received them:

Mallows(Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies)
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website

Prep Time: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Serves: about 2 dozen cookies
• 3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter
• 3 eggs, whisked together
• Homemade marshmallows, recipe follows
• Chocolate glaze, recipe follows
1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.
2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.
3. Add the eggs and mix until combine.
4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
5. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.
8. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.
9. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
10. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.
11. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.
12. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.
13. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.
Note: if you don’t want to make your own marshmallows, you can cut a large marshmallow in half and place on the cookie base. Heat in a preheated 350-degree oven to slump the marshmallow slightly, it will expand and brown a little. Let cool, then proceed with the chocolate dipping.
Homemade marshmallows:
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup (168.76 grams/5.95oz) sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 egg whites , room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1. In a saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.
3. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.
4. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.
5. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.
6. Transfer to a pastry bag.
Chocolate glaze:
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil
1. Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water.
Milan Cookies
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website

Prep Time: 20 min
Inactive Prep Time: 0 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min
Serves: about 3 dozen cookies
• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups (312.5 grams/ 11.02 oz) powdered sugar
• 7/8 cup egg whites (from about 6 eggs)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lemon extract
• 1 1/2 cups (187.5grams/ 6.61 oz) all purpose flour
• Cookie filling, recipe follows
Cookie filling:
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 orange, zested
1. In a mixer with paddle attachment cream the butter and the sugar.
2. Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
3. Add the flour and mix until just well mixed.
4. With a small (1/4-inch) plain tip, pipe 1-inch sections of batter onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart as they spread.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan.
6. While waiting for the cookies to cool, in a small saucepan over medium flame, scald cream.
7. Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well.
8. Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).
9. Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie while the filling is still soft and press the flat side of a second cookie on top.
10. Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.

Skate with Taditional Flavors Powdered

This months Daring Cook Challenge was an adventure in molecular cuisine. We made Skate with Traditional Flavors Powdered.

I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive about this challenge, and I wasn't the only one. The challenge was far more strict with its permitted substitutions. This is a big drawback for me since I live with some picky eaters. But I decided to take the challenge and make it work.

I made the fish (cod) with banana for myself as the challenge dictated and chicken with plantain for Chris since he does not eat fish and he LOVES plantains. But the real challenge was making the powders without a dehydrator.

It took me quite some time to make this meal. The powders took some time, I think it would have been much easier in a dehydrator.

The parsley and cilantro were really fast. I am not exactly sure why we had to blanch them first, I wouldn't think the color would change that much, but I did it. It took about twice as long in the microwave as the directions stated, but that only totals 2 min. Not a biggie. I should have stopped there, cuz I did start to burn (read: a small fire started int he microwave) the mix in the microwave. It ended-up with a smokey flavor.

I don't have a coffee grinder and I didn't want to buy one so I used my mini food processor.

There wasn't a time on the capers. So I just kept zapin'em. I think it took a total of about 8-10 min. to get them really dry. I ran the onion through the food processor first and then made sure to stir them multiple times through the cooking. I also took them out a few times to let the steam escape. Since the humidity is a bit higher here I suspected things might take a bit longer. I think it took about 30-35 min for the onion.

I used the powdered milk to make the brown butter powder. It was pretty easy.

Instead of lemon I decided to use orange. The orange took awhile. Probably 15-20 min. Again I was constantly rotating and flipping the orange peels. Because we had to poach the zest first I kept the zest in bigger pieces, which might have added to the time as well.

I thought I would try some other powders as well. I thought a nice combo with the orange would be something a bit tropical. I guess the citrus with the banana made me think of it. So I thought coconut, and macadamia nut would be tasty. The coconut was very dry and unsweetened. I found it at Whole Foods. But I decided I could get it a bit finer, but it just released the oils so it came out a bit clumpy. I am not versed enough in Molecular cooking to know how to fix that, so I just left it alone.

I wanted to toast the nuts a bit first. I forgot about them, oops! So I burnt them instead.
So I went with a back-up plan, almonds. I didn't have time to try and dry them any more, so they, too, were a bit clumpy.

Finally, I thought portabella mushrooms might be fun. I couldn't get them very powdered. But what the heck, I already had 2 clumpy "powders" what is one more.
So it was time to move onto the meal. I sliced the green beans.I then made my Beurre Monte. I knew the chicken would take the longest so I cooked it first. Since the plantain I found was a bit great I decided it would best be served mashed. So I poached it with the chicken in the the Beurre Monte. I used the thermometer on the chicken, just to make sure.
Once they were done, I mashed the plantains, then I began to cook the green beans and poach the fish.
It seemed to go pretty smoothly. Here is the chicken and plantain dish plated with the brown butter powder on top. I had all 6 powders swirled under the plantain mash.
Here is the cod with the brown butter on top and the bananas beneath. I decided to make 2 swirls for the fish. On one side I had the orange, almond, and coconut. The other side had onion/caper, parsley/cilantro, and mushroom.

Both Chris and I enjoyed the meal. The interesting part was my banana. It was the sweetest banana I had ever eaten. So my meal ended-up pretty sweet. We agreed it was not something we would want all the time, but for a special or fun occasion it is a nice little change. We both found the orange powder VERY overpowering. It was an intense flavor. I also thought it was a bit bitter, like eating an orange rind. And since that is what it is made of, it wasn't too surprising. The mushroom had a nice woody flavor.






The recipe as I received it:

Skate, Traditional Flavors Powdered - with changes

• 4 skate wings
• * Beurre monte
• * 300g fresh green beans
• sea salt/kosher salt
• 1 banana
• 454g butter - 4 sticks
• 300g lemons
• 5g citric acid/vitamin c tablet
• 150g cilantro
• 150g parsley
• 100g dried banana chips
• 300g spray dried cream powder (or powdered milk)
• 100g cup minced red onion
• 200g capers (brined, not oil)

* For green beans, slice each beans into very thin rounds (2 mm)
* Beurre Monte - 454g butter (4 sticks, 1 pound) cubed and cold, 60g water. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil, remove from heat and whisk in the butter 1 cube at a time. This should from an emulsion. Keep this heated, but under 195 degrees. The emulsion will not break - this is your poaching liquid.
Powders - prepare ahead of time
caper / onion
lemon powder
cilantro/parsley powder
'brown butter' powder
Powders
once dried, all powders should be pulsed in a coffee grinder/spice mill/morter and pestle then passed through a chinois or fine mesh strainer.
citrus powder
300g lemons
1000g simple syrup
5g citric acid/vitamin c tablet
zest 300g of lemons (10.6 oz), remove the pith from the zest and poach in the simple syrup three times. dry with paper towels and move to a dehydrating tray. 130 for 12 hours. pulse the zest in a coffee grinder, pass through chinois, and mix with citric acid/vitamin C powder.
If you do not have a dehydrator, place in microwave for 8 to 10 minutes at medium powder. Once dried, follow the other instructions.
cilantro/parsley powder
150g cilantro
150g parsley
blanch the parsley in boiling saltwater for 1 second, submerge the leaves in ice water for 3 minutes. Dry on paper towels and place on dehydrator tray. 130 for 12 hours. grind and pass through chinois.
If you do not have a dehydrator, place in microwave for 30 seconds, turn over leaves and microwave for another thirty seconds. They should be dry by now, pulse in coffee grinder, pass through chinois and reserve.
onion powder
100g cup minced red onions
dehydrator - 130 for 12 hours
microwave at medium power for 20 minutes.
pulse in grinder, pass through chinois
Caper powder
200g capers (get the ones packed in brine/vinegar)
run the capers under cold water for two minutes to remove some of the brine.
dry on paper towels and dehydrate for 12 hours at 130 degrees.
microwave instructions are unclear. Dry them as much a possible with paper towels, the microwave on medium for 1 minute. Check the moisture content and stir them. repeat for 30 second intervals until they are dry. If you use this method, pleas post the time needed to dry the capers.
Once dry, pulse and sift the powder. Mix it with the onion powder.
Brown Butter powder
100g Dried banana chips (unsweetened if possible - many are coated in honey - the freeze dried ones would be brilliant)
300g spray dried cream powder
If you cannot find the cream powder, you can substitute Bob's red mill non fat dry milk powder, or even carnation instant milk powder. The substitutions will alter the flavor a little, but you will still get the general idea.
preheat the oven to 350 degrees, sift the cream powder into a fine layer on a silpat or on parchment. bake for 4 minutes, then remove for heat. If it bakes for too long, it will burn. Be very cautious with all powders in the oven. They all go from browned to burnt in a few seconds.
grind the banana chips in a coffee grinder and mix with the toasted cream powder. Pass this through a chinois and reserve.

---

* For green beans, slice each beans into very thin rounds (2 mm)
* Beurre Monte - 454g butter (4 sticks, 1 pound) cubed and cold, 60g water. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil, remove from heat and whisk in the butter 1 cube at a time. This should from an emulsion. Keep this heated, but under 195 degrees. The emulsion will not break - this is your poaching liquid.
Skate
Prepare the skate - 50G v shaped cuts are recommended
Bring 100g water, 100g beurre monte, and green bean rounds to a boil over high heat. Cook until the water has evaporated (about 3 minutes), when the pan is almost dry, remove it from heat and season with 3g salt
bring 300g water and 300g beurre monte to simmer over medium heat, add skate wings and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and flip the wing over and let rest in pan for two more minutes. Transfer to warming tray lined with parchment and season with 5 grams of fine sea salt.
Plating

Take the tip of a small spoon and make a small mound of the citrus powder, the onion-caper powder, and the cilantro parsley-powder. Swirl these around in a hurricane type pattern. I found that it is easier, and you get finer lines if you lightly shake the plate to flatten out the mounds, then swirl the spoon through it to get the pattern.
peel the remaining banana into very think slices (3mm) fan three slices on the plate, place green beans on top and place skate wing portion on top. On the tall edge, sprinkle the brown butter powder.

---

Substitutions
The Skate can be replaced with flounder or cod.
If you can get skate that is not 'prepared' IE - Skinned- get the fish monger to prepare it for you.
The powdered cream can be omitted completely, just replace it with more banana powder, or pineapple powder. Possibly non dairy creamer, but I have NO idea what would happen if you tried to brown it.
The poaching liquid is pretty much butter - it could be replaced with other poaching methods. Water, wine, bay leaf, garlic clove, pepper, etc. Try to go easy on the salt in the liquid if you use a replacement.
Disclaimer - the sample dish was made with cod because Skate was not available at the time in Richmond. Whole Foods usually carries it. Check your fish markets before you head out to buy some.

Teething Biscuits!

I have been meaning to post this for awhile. But it just hasn't happened.

Some time ago my sister in-law sent me a recipe for . (Thanks Sheila!)
They are GREAT! They are nice and hard so they last and do break apart all over the place!

1 1/2 c unbleached flour

1/2 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c maple syrup

3 tbsp applesauce

Heat oven to 300. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until dough begins to hold together. Dust counter with flour, then transfer contents of bowl to counter. Knead lightly until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes. (If the dough is difficult to handle, dust with a little more flour) Roll out with a rolling pin until 1/3 inch thick. Cut out biscuits using an inverted cup and a clean bottle cap, milk lid, or your thumb for the hole. Transfer biscuits to a greased cookie sheet. Bake until barely browned, about 35 minutes. let cool completely on cookie sheet. They are ready to eat now or they will harden slightly more if you leave them out overnight. Store for up to two weeks in an airtight container.

I did not cut them into circles. I just cut rectangles. (Though I did see some recently at a friends house and she had taken the time to make the rings and they were a easier for the babies to hold. Next time!)

I have kept mine for more than 2 weeks. I think they have gotten a bit harder, even with the ridiculous humidity. (I guess My A/C is pulling more moisture out than I realized)

Bakewell Tart (or Pudding)

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.

I thought this was pleasing challenge. Not too complicated, but I thought it was tasty. Chris, on the other hand, did not.

I decided to make some Lemon Curd to fill my tart. While cooking the Lemon Curd I imagined the conversation I would have with Chris about the taste of the finished Tart.

Luna: What do you think?
Chris: It is a bit Tart.
Luna: It is supposed to be, it is a tart!

The actual conversation was nothing like that. I served the tart to a few ladies I had over at my house. Later after they left I offered a piece to Chris.

Luna: Would you like to try a piece?
Chris: ummmm...well....uhhh. I think I need to know more about it.
Luna: It has sugar, almond, egg, lemon, butter, flour. You like all those ingredients.
Chris: Um...uh...I guess.
*30 min later and only one bite missing*
Luna: Do you not like it?
Chris: (not wanting to say no and hurt my feelings he take another pathetically tiny bite) I think I don't like the texture.
Luna: which layer?
Chris: There are layers?
Luna: (sneering) yes!
Chris: I just don't think I have had much of this sort of cake.
Luna: (still sneering) it's a TART!

Needless to say, Chris did not like it. But I think it might have been the Lemon Curd, not sure! He doesn't like sour or tart things. I, however, LOVE it. And since I was making it, and it is summer time, and I happen to have a few lemons I thought a nice fresh lemon curd would be great!

The Curd turned out great. It was a bit thin, but the kitchen was getting WAY too hot and it was WAY too hot outside, so I stopped at a "good enough" thickness.

The pastry crust was a different story. It all looked good until i tried to pick it up to place it in the dish. It completely fell apart. So I just ended-up piecing it together in the dish and molding it to the dish. (oh well!)

The frangipane seemed to go well. I have never made one before, so what do I know. Maybe it was all wrong too.

I guess it doesn't much matter because everyone, except for Chris, seemed to like it. It did get a bit too brown for my liking in the oven around the edge, mainly the crust. So I trimmed that up a bit.

Before trimming

After trimming


Ta-da!

History Lesson we receive on the Bakewell Tart/Pudding issue

Bakewell Tart History and Lore

Flan-like desserts that combine either sweet egg custard over candied fruit or feature spiced ground almonds in a pastry shell have Mediaeval roots. The term “Bakewell pudding” was first penned in 1826 by Meg Dods; 20 years later Eliza Acton published a recipe that featured a baked rich egg custard overtop 2cm of jam and noted,
“This pudding is famous not only in Derbyshire, but in several of our northern counties where it is usually served on all holiday occasions.”
By the latter half of the 1800s, the egg custard evolved into a frangipane-like filling; since then the quantity of jam decreased while the almond filling increased.
This tart, like many of the world's great foods has its own mythic beginnings…or several mythic beginnings. Legend has it in 1820 (or was it in the 1860s?) Mrs. Greaves, landlady of The White Horse Inn in Bakewell, Derbyshire (England), asked her cook to produce a pudding for her guests. Either her instructions could have been clearer or he should have paid better attention to what she said because what he made was not what she asked for. The cook spread the jam on top of the frangipane mixture rather than the other way around. Or maybe instead of a sweet rich shortcrust pastry case to hold the jam for a strawberry tart, he made a regular pastry and mixed the eggs and sugar separately and poured that over the jam—it depends upon which legend you follow.
Regardless of what the venerable Mrs. Greaves’ cook did or didn’t do, lore has it that her guests loved it and an ensuing pastry-clad industry was born. The town of Bakewell has since played host to many a sweet tooth in hopes of tasting the tart in its natural setting.
Bakewell tarts are a classic English dessert, abounding in supermarket baking sections and in ready-made, mass-produced forms, some sporting a thick sugary icing and glazed cherry on top for decorative effect.
Enjoy it with a cup of tea or coffee or just eat it sneaky slice by sneaky slice until, to your chagrin, you realise the whole tart has somehow disappeared despite you never having pulled out a plate, fork or napkin with which to eat it.

Is it a tart or is it a pudding?

Someone once said something like “The Bakewell pudding is a dessert. The Bakewell tart is that girl over there.”
It’s a debate that rages on and we aren’t taking sides on this one. But we will say that many people call this pudding a tart.
While we’re at it...
The etymology of pudding is a rather interesting and slightly convoluted one.* The naming confusion may come from the British manner of referring to the dessert course as ‘pudding’ (as well as referring to fat babies by the same name, though we don’t think that is what was the inspiration in this case). And so any dessert is a pudding until another name comes along and adds clarity to what it really is.
The Lemon Curd recipe I used I git off JoyofBaking.com

3 Large Eggs
1/3 Cup fresh lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons, don't use bottled juice)
1 tablespoon fine lemon zest
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temp. (cut into small pieces is helpful)

In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or a hollandaise sauce) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C). This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate for up to a week.

Makes 1 1/2 cups (360 ml).

If you want a lighter lemon curd whip 1/2 cup (120 ml) of heavy whipping cream and fold into the lemon curd.

The recipe as I received it.
Makes one 23cm (9” tart)
Prep time: less than 10 minutes (plus time for the individual elements)
Resting time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Equipment needed: 23cm (9”) tart pan or pie tin (preferably with ridged edges), rolling pin
One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
Bench flour
250ml (1cup (8 US fl. oz)) jam or curd, warmed for spreadability
One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)
One handful blanched, flaked almonds
Assembling the tart
Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200C/400F.
Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking.
The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter. Serve warm, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or custard sauce if you wish.
When you slice into the tart, the almond paste will be firm, but slightly squidgy and the crust should be crisp but not tough.
Jasmine’s notes:
• If you cannot have nuts, you can try substituting Victoria sponge for the frangipane. It's a pretty popular popular cake, so you shouldn't have any troubles finding one in one of your cookbooks or through a Google search. That said, our dear Natalie at Gluten a Go Go has sourced some recipes and linked to them in the related alt.db thread.
• You can use whichever jam you wish, but if you choose something with a lot of seeds, such as raspberry or blackberry, you should sieve them out.
• The jam quantity can be anywhere from 60ml (1/4 cup) to 250ml (1cup), depending upon how “damp” and strongly flavoured your preserves are. I made it with the lesser quantity of home made strawberry jam, while Annemarie made it with the greater quantity of cherry jam; we both had fabulous results. If in doubt, just split the difference and spread 150ml (2/3cup) on the crust.
Annemarie’s notes:
• The excess shortcrust can be rolled out and cut into cookie-shapes (heck, it’s pretty darned close to a shortbread dough).

Sweet shortcrust pastry

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes (minimum)
Equipment needed: bowls, box grater, cling film
225g (8oz) all purpose flour
30g (1oz) sugar
2.5ml (½ tsp) salt
110g (4oz) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)
2 (2) egg yolks
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional)
15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water
Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.
Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.
Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
Jasmine’s notes:
• I make this using vanilla salt and vanilla sugar.
• If you wish, you can substitute the seeds of one vanilla bean, one teaspoon of vanilla paste or one teaspoon of vanilla extract for the almond extract

Frangipane

Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Equipment needed: bowls, hand mixer, rubber spatula
125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, softened
125g (4.5oz) icing sugar
3 (3) eggs
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract
125g (4.5oz) ground almonds
30g (1oz) all purpose flour
Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle. In the words of Douglas Adams: Don’t panic. Really. It’ll be fine. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look (mostly from the almonds) and retain its pallid yellow colour.
Annemarie’s notes:
• Add another five minutes or more if you're grinding your own almonds or if you're mixing by hand (Heaven help you).

Potstickers

Chinese dumplings/potstickers (aka gyoza in Japanese) Thank you Jen from use real butter for hosting the Daring Cooks June 2009 challenge.
I have wanted to learn how to make potstickers for such a LONG time. I was so excited by this challenge. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I have to say, my finished product was not very pretty, but they tasted good, AND I had fun. It took a long time to get them all done.

I started by making the wrapper dough. AS it was resting I began to make the filling. I used a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Basically I just opened the fridge, freezer, and pantry and found what I could use up.

I used some ground pork, carrots, spinach, garlic, egg, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch. Maybe some other things too. I did it in a frenzy, so I don't much remember what I was throwing in there. From the picture it looks like I also added some teriyaki sauce, chardonnay salt, cilantro bullion and onion bullion. I then began to roll out the wrappers. Then used a Tablespoon to scoop the filling into the wrapper.
I began to fold them. It took a bit to get the hang of it. It took awhile to get the wrappers thin enough. I played with a couple of different ways to fold them up. Some worked better than others.
I froze these dumplings to use at a later time. Here they are after freezing individually, but before I bagged them.
A few days later I did finally cook some up for dinner. I made a simple dipping sauce with soy sauce, sesame oil.
I thought they turned out a bit salty, Chris thought the dipping sauce was salty. Regardless, they were pretty good.

After I had used-up all the pork filling I still had a good amount of wrapper dough left. So I decided to try something fun. I thought about a dessert filling, but honestly at that moment I was hungry and wanted something savory.

I took some cottage cheese and drained it a bit. Added cilantro and a little cornmeal. (the cornmeal was to thicken it up a bit.)
I made the dumplings, pan fried them and served them with some avocado and lemon. They were SOOOOOOOO good. I think the best thing I have eaten in a long time. Granted, I may have been really hungry, but I think they were just really good.


The Recipe as I received it.

It's a basic concept: a filling inside a dough wrapper, sealed, and cooked. This delicious theme runs through many cultures and is among the more popular bites at Chinese restaurants - especially dim sum. The recipe I provide is based on my family recipe. There is a lot of wiggle room and I encourage you to explore. If you've made them before - great! Now try something different!
The process goes a little like this:

You can (and should) reference instructional photos and discussion on my blog post here.
Wrappers: Well yes, you could purchase pre-made dumpling wrappers at the store (NO WONTON WRAPPERS - they have egg), but they are inferior compared to homemade. The whole point of this challenge is to make the dumpling wrappers by hand. So here is the one requirement: the dumpling wrappers must be made by hand. It isn't all that hard, it just takes a little time and practice. People usually get the hang of it after making about a dozen. **NOTE: I have a special recipe for gluten-free dumpling wrappers at the bottom of the post. They are another type of traditional dumpling and they are pretty awesome (although more finicky). Really delicious too, so you may want to have a looksee even if you aren't gluten-free. [EDIT 5/18/09:] I see that some have chosen to make the wrappers by hand. I don't recommend this method because the wrappers will be too thick and probably yield far fewer dumplings for the dough recipe. The point of rolling the dough is for uniformity of wrapper and to achieve a thickness that is otherwise difficult to attain by hand. Also, rolling is much faster than hand shaping. We're aiming for a delicate skin that does not dominate the dumpling.
Fillings: the beauty of the Chinese dumpling/potsticker is that the filling is very versatile. That's why there are so many different kinds of dumplings when you go to dim sum. The two most common are pork and shrimp. You can make them with other ground meats (beef, chicken...) or vegetarian (tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, glass noodles, Chinese chives - oh yum!). The important thing to keep in mind is that the filling needs to "stick" to itself or else you will make your life incredibly miserable wrapping up filling that keeps falling apart. I think if I were to make vegetarian dumplings, I would sauté the cabbage and mash up the tofu for a better cohesiveness. It's up to you how you want to fill your dumplings and I say - run with it! Just keep it cohesive and no big chunks of hard ingredients (they poke through the wrapper dough = disaster). I realize it may be tempting to dump all of the vegetables into a food processor and give it a whir, but I caution against it. You don't want a slurry, you want a mince. Practice your knife skills and be careful.
Special Equipment: A rolling pin - preferably not tapered. (see blog pictures for the type I use).
Time: Prep for the filling takes me 30 minutes - longer if peeling and de-veining shrimp. It will depend on your proficiency with a good sharp knife. Rolling and wrapping several dozen dumplings takes me 1 hour by myself. My parents can crank through it in 30 minutes when one person is rolling wrappers and the other is wrapping dumplings. Might be fun to get a second person to help! Cooking: I have to cook mine in batches. When steaming, I can cook a dozen at a time in about 10 minutes. Potstickers: 15 minutes per 2 dozen determined by the size of your pan. Boiling - 6 minutes per dozen or so depending on size of pot. My own personal preference is for potstickers - mmmmm! But they are ALL good. Here is the recipe:
Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers
pork filling:
1 lb (450g) ground pork
4 large napa cabbage leaves, minced
3 stalks green onions, minced
7 shitake mushrooms, minced (if dried - rehydrated and rinsed carefully)
1/2 cup (75g) bamboo shoots, minced
1/4 (55g) cup ginger root, minced
3 tbsp (40g) soy sauce
2 tbsp (28g) sesame oil
2 tbsp (16g) corn starch
OR
shrimp filling:
1/2 lb (225g) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
1/2 lb (225g) ground pork
3 stalks green onions, minced
1/4 cup (55g) ginger root, minced
1 cup (142g) water chestnuts, minced
1 tsp (5g) salt
3 tbsp (40g) sesame oil
2 tbsp (16g) corn starch
dough: (double this for the amount of filling, but easier to make it in 2 batches - or just halve the filling recipe)
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (113g) warm water
flour for worksurface
dipping sauce:
2 parts soy sauce
1 part vinegar (red wine or black)
a few drops of sesame oil
chili garlic paste (optional)
minced ginger (optional)
minced garlic (optional)
minced green onion (optional)
sugar (optional)
Combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (I mix by clean hand). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (up to a day, but preferably within an hour or two).
Make the dough, Method 1: Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade. Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated. Pour the contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth. The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.[Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water).
Make the dough, Method 2 (my mom’s instructions): In a large bowl mix flour with 1/4 cup of water and stir until water is absorbed. Continue adding water one teaspoon at a time and mixing thoroughly until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. We want a firm dough that is barely sticky to the touch.
[EDIT: 5/26/09] There have been two complaints posted about a dry dough and I realize that this rests in the problem of measuring flour which has a different density and hence weight for 2 cups depending on how you scoop it. That is why I also list the weight: 250g. Flour tends to settle over time, so when I scoop it out, I shake several cups' worth back into the container before taking a final scoop of soft, fluffy, flour and I get 250g for 2 cups. When you knead the dough, if it feels hard and dry, then you can add more water. [Warning: it will NOT be a soft bread dough, so don't expect it to be, but it shouldn't be a brick either.] It is perfectly fine to use more than the 1/2 cup listed in the recipe as everyone's climate and flours vary. Use your judgment - this is what being a Daring Cook is about. We are trying to cultivate a sense of intuition so that recipes are general guidelines from which you can expand your own style.
Both dough methods: Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes. Take the dough and form a flattened dome. Cut into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders. On a floured surface, cut the strips into 3/4 inch pieces. Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers). With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc. Take care not to roll out too thin or the dumplings will break during cooking - about 1/16th inch. Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in post for how to fold pleats). Keep all unused dough under damp cloth.
To boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add dumplings to pot. Boil the dumplings until they float.
To steam: Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface in a steamer basket with lid. Steam covered for about 6 minutes.
placing the dumplings in a steamer over napa cabbage leaves

steamed and ready to eat

To pan fry (potstickers): Place dumplings in a frying pan with 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil. Heat on high and fry for a few minutes until bottoms are golden. Add 1/2 cup water and cover. Cook until the water has boiled away and then uncover and reduce heat to medium or medium low. Let the dumplings cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve.
potstickers, bottoms up to show off the crunchies

To freeze: Assemble dumplings on a baking sheet so they are not touching. It helps to rub the base of the dumpling in a little flour before setting on the baking sheet for ease of release. Freeze for 20-30 minutes until dumplings are no longer soft. Place in ziploc bag and freeze for up to a couple of months. Prepare per the above instructions, but allow extra time to ensure the filling is thoroughly cooked.
To serve: Serve dumplings or potstickers hot with your choice of dipping sauce combinations.